Russia's FSB safety service mentioned Thursday it opened a felony case in opposition to a U.S. citizen suspected of espionage, as ties between Moscow and Washington disintegrate additional over the Kremlin's practically year-long Ukraine offensive.
"The Federal Safety Service of the Russian Federation initiated a felony case in opposition to a US citizen on the grounds of against the law below the 276 'Espionage' Article of the Felony Code," the FSB mentioned.
"The American is suspected of accumulating intelligence info within the organic sphere, directed in opposition to the safety of the Russian Federation," it added.
It gave no additional particulars.
Ties between Russia and america, already strained for years, have reached new lows since President Vladimir Putin despatched troops to Ukraine final yr.
A number of Individuals are at the moment in detention in Russia and each nations accuse one another of political arrests.
There have been a number of high-profile prisoner exchanges between Moscow and Washington.
Final month, Moscow freed U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner -- arrested for bringing hashish oil into the nation -- in change for Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout.
Paul Whelan, a retired U.S. Marine, was arrested in Russia in 2018 and given a 16-year sentence on "espionage prices."
"We have not forgotten about Paul Whelan," President Biden mentioned after Griner's launch on Dec. 8. He went on to say that the U.S. "won't ever surrender" making an attempt to barter for Whelan's freedom.
In a written letter shared to Instagram final month, Griner requested her supporters to write down letters to Whelan and "advocate for different Individuals to be rescued and returned to their households."
"Because of the efforts to many, together with you, I'm residence after practically 10 months," she wrote. "You took time to point out me you cared and I need to personally take the time to write down to you and say that your effort mattered. Your letters helped me to not lose hope throughout a time the place I used to be stuffed with remorse and susceptible in methods I may have by no means imagined."